1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for inserting lead wires of electronic elements into insertion holes of a printed circuit board, or more in particular to an apparatus for inserting into insertion holes of a printed circuit board or the like the lead wires of electronic elements of radial lead wire type, which lead wires are protruded in parallel in a specific direction from a body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art apparatuses of this type for inserting electronic elements are such that in order to set the insertion holes of a printed circuit board to the lead wires of the electronic elements to be inserted, the lead wires are guided by a pair of opposed lead guides as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,350 or the lead wires are chucked at regular intervals of space by the lead wire guides and a lead wire holder, so that the forward ends of the lead wires are set at the positions of the insertion holes of the printed circuit board for successful insertion. In such conventional apparatuses for inserting electronic elements, however, in view of the fact that the lead wires under a body of an electronic element are guided by the lead guides or chucked by means of the lead guides and a lead holder, the lead guides or the chuck comprising the lead guides and the lead holder follows the lead wires of the electronic elements being inserted into insertion holes of the printed circuit board and, after insertion, it is necessary to relieve and retire the lead guides or chuck beyond the horizontal outer margin of the body of the electronic elements, thus unavoidably requiring a space larger than the horizontal maximum size of the body of the electronic elements. The recent trend is toward a more compact printed circuit board with electronic elements mounted therein at higher density. In the conventional apparatuses for inserting electronic elements, it is impossible to automatically insert the electronic elements into a printed circuit board at high density. Another disadvantage of the prior art apparatuses for inserting electronic elements lies in that the lead guides or chuck is so complicated that their use is limited to electronic elements having a fixed pitch between lead wires, resulting in a very low productivity. Further, the conventional apparatuses for inserting electronic elements are very low in insertion speed.